Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-11
A WONDERFUL LEAP.
BALDwIs, TIE AIRoEAuT. JUMPS
FROM HIS BALLOON A MILE UP.
Tho Great and Successful Feat Witnessed
by Thousands at Rockawsy Eeach
tuesday.

were lIlltu Will "NSc"""' W 49,
cessfpl leap OF L. $. Baldwin on Tues
day from balloon when a mile up in
the air. From them the following &C
count is cleaned:
Rockaway Beach was thronged with
peoplo Yesterday to see u. $. Baldwin,
the San francisco aeronaut, lamp from
his lalloon sat the giddy height OF
5000 feet " and come down to earth
again with the aid of a parachute. Be
side the crowds on shore and in boats,
the big steamer Grand Republic, with
all her decks crowded with passengers,
Law at her pier awaiting the exhibition.
1t was beautifully clear afternoon,
and when Baldwin appeared in his
hesh-colored tights and spangled trunks
and made his way to the swaying bal
loon inflated with $4,000 cubic feet Of
gas, he was loudly cheered.
Isn't he sweet?" said a pretty
black eyed girl to her companion,
blonde.
"Ob, he is just too lovely for any
thing" was the reply.
"If he should be dashed to pieces
right before our eyes | should die, de-
clared the first speaker.
"Yes, it would kill me, too, | know
it would. 1t would be just too horrId
for anything" responded the far
haired beauty.
baldwin evidently had the sympathy
of the spectators. They crowded
around him so closely that Chief-of-
Police Cavanagh and his sixteen po-
licemen had hard work to keep the
grounds clear. At 5:17 o'clock the
aeronaut spraDg into his basket and the
balloon slowly rose to the end OF ITS
tether-about two hundred feet. The
breeze came directly from the south.
At 300 o'clock Baldwin cut the rope,
allowing the balloon to shoot almost
directly upward Up and up 1t went
smaller and smaller it grew. The IN
terest of the spectators increased as the
balloon decreased in apparent size.
When it had reached the alleged
height OF a mile $50 the per
formers friends and hackers de-
clarcd), which was at 5:22 o'clock, Bald
win pulled the rip-cord, leaped from
the basket, and Selling the bar of the
parachute began slowly to descend. at
this moment he looked no larger than
an ordinary cigar swaying to and fro IN
the blue air beneath what appeared to
be dolls parasol Every eye was up
turned. The interest of the multitude
had become suppressed excitement.
Elm almost afraid to look, said
sympathetic old lady. "My heart is in
my mouth" -,
"Oh, john" said Johns best girl,
in quivering tones, edo look pale ? l
feel as if l should faint. Don't let me
fall"
When it began to descend the para
chute did not fill Immediately with air,
but seemed about to collapse. his
was only for moment, however. Then
it became inflated, and little by little,
slowly TO the dazed spectators. Bald
win neared the water. a boat was
awaiting bin. but he landed on his feet
little before 5:24 o'clock in shallow
spot near the flats. Hisdescent, which
seemed to take at least ten minutes to
the observers, occupied only one min
ute and twonty-four and one fifth sec
onds. He secured his parachute and
came ashore in the boat, and was re-
ceived with loud acclamations OF JOY.
He was assisted to the hotel, and half
an hour later joined his friends in the
parlor, physically as sound as ever and
ready to cat a hearty meal. He said
he estimated that he assembled mile,
and the sensation in falling was like an
elevator trip. He landed lightly where
the water was two feet deep. Before
be parted with his balloon the Grand
Republic looked as large as his hand,
and he could not distinguish the indi-
viduals except an m0Sse. lie explained
the apparent snarl of the parachute by
saving there was on irregular pressure
of air The balloon, when last seen,
had struck an ocean current and was a
mere speck out at sea. Baldwin thought
he had seen the last of the City OF
Quincy" but had hopes it would be
picked up by an incoming vessel.
The balloon, after driftinga distance
calculated to be about eight miles from
the beach, began to descend rapidly.
About that time the nearest thing to
the balloon was fishing party from
Sheepshead Bay in the sloop-yacht Il.
L. Fox, composed of Captain John
Miller, Hotel Keeper Anton Huisman,
and four others. They sighted the
sinking airship and lowered their boats
in its direction. After much trouble
some lacking i'll light wind they came
alongside of the balloon just after ii
reached the water. There was conside-
rable gas left in the bag yet and ii
drifted into the waves, dragging the
basket-car after it clumsily.
After much manGuvring the party
got in position for a struggle with the
awkward catch. Ropes hastily drawn
through the network of the bag Sc
cured the monster to the slOop, and
then the six set to work cutting away
the cording that held the net. Thu
was soon accomplished, and then came
the arduous work of getting the soaked
and still partly inflated bag aboard
After an hours toll this work was &c
complished, and then the basket wa
dragged aboard and the Fox heade(
for home.
At 9 o'clock the party arrived il
Sheepshead Bay and astonished the na
tiyes, first, by an exhibition of an un
usually large catch of fish, and, second
", by the startling news that they ha'
the big balloon on board. Up to a lat
hour parties in all kinds of boats wer'
| rs,;1;,,, Co,to;n Nullorfs Gloon, IN loOl